2024 national polls were a 'dummy election', says ex-CEC Awal

Arrested former chief election commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal, in his confessional statement to a Dhaka court yesterday, described the 2024 national election as a "dummy and fabricated exercise", citing the failure of political parties to reach a consensus ahead of the polls.

Meanwhile, the interim government has formed a five-member committee to investigate alleged irregularities in the previous three parliamentary elections held under the Awami League government in 2014, 2018, and 2024.

Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman yesterday placed former CEC Awal on a three-day remand in a case filed by the BNP over alleged irregularities and his biased role in conducting the 12th national election, reports UNB.

During the remand hearing, the court asked Awal why he had not resigned. The former CEC avoided the query, saying no CEC had stepped down in Bangladesh's history.

Awal also mentioned elections are not without irregularities, and such things occurred in past elections, such as during Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's regime and the 1996 general election.

A team of DB police had arrested Awal on Wednesday. The arrest came two days after the BNP filed a case with the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station, accusing 24 people, including former CECs, election commissioners and other officials involved in conducting the 10th, 11th and 12th national elections, of irregularities and biased conduct.

Meanwhile, police detained another former CEC, KM Nurul Huda, on Sunday evening.

In the 11th election, held in December 2018 under CEC Huda, the BNP alleged ballot-stuffing overnight hours before the morning voting.

The 12th election held in 2024, overseen by CEC Kazi Habibul Awal, was rejected by the BNP as a "dummy election", as the party did not take part in it.

Committee to probe polls irregularities, report by 30 Sep

According to a gazette notification issued by the Cabinet Division yesterday, the five-member committee is headed by former Justice Shamim Hasnain.

The other members of the committee are: former additional secretary Shamim Al Mamun; Associate Professor of Law at Dhaka University, Kazi Mahfuzul Haque (Supon); Barrister Tajrian Akram Hossain, a lawyer at the Dhaka District and Sessions Judge Court; and election expert Md Abdul Alim.

Aside from probing past irregularities, the committee was also asked to recommend measures for fair elections in the future.

As per the gazette, the committee will analyse reports from election observers, both domestic and international oversight bodies, civil society organisations, and media regarding the 2014, 2018, and 2024 elections.

It will review expert opinions on the allegations of corruption, irregularities, and criminal activities in those elections and assess their overall neutrality and acceptability.

It will examine the role of the then-ruling party and others involved in restricting political participation and obstructing voters' rights.

The committee will assess the role of the Election Commission Secretariat and the administration during those elections.

It will also investigate the involvement of law enforcement and intelligence agencies in the electoral process.

Finally, the committee will scrutinise allegations of financial irregularities against former Election Commissions.

Based on these analyses, the committee will determine responsibility for the irregularities in the mentioned elections and recommend legal, regulatory, institutional, and administrative reforms to ensure free and fair elections in the future.

The committee has been instructed to submit its report to the government by 30 September. The Cabinet Division will provide secretarial support, while the Election Commission will assist with logistics and data. 

The committee will have the authority to summon documents from any office, interrogate relevant individuals, and co-opt additional members if necessary for the investigation.

According to the gazette, the three elections in 2014, 2018, and 2024 have been widely criticised both domestically and internationally. Serious allegations were raised that the ruling Awami League clung to power through orchestrated processes that deprived citizens of their right to vote.